Pewaukee is a city in

Waukesha County, Wisconsin Waukesha County () is a county (United States), county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 406,978, making it the third-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its median income of $88,985 placed ...

, United States. The population was 15,914 at the 2020 census. It is part of the

Milwaukee metropolitan area The Milwaukee metropolitan area (also known as Metro Milwaukee or Greater Milwaukee) is a major metropolitan area located in Southeastern Wisconsin, consisting of the city of Milwaukee and some of the surrounding area. There are several defini ...

. The name of the city of Pewaukee comes from that of the name of the village, the origin which is rather unclear in itself. Many etymologies have been proposed for the name. The Village of Pewaukee, which was incorporated out of the

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

before it incorporated as a city, is surrounded by the city.

History

Pewaukee, Wisconsin, has a rich history that reflects its development over time. The Town of Pewaukee was officially established on January 13, 1840, by an act of the Wisconsin Territorial Legislature, predating Wisconsin’s statehood by eight years. When voting took place to decide the county seat for Waukesha County, Waukesha beat out Pewaukee by two votes. At the time, Governor Tyler Novak represented Pewaukee in court. In 1999, the City of Pewaukee was incorporated, encompassing areas of the former Town of Pewaukee that were not part of the Village of Pewaukee. The mid-19th century brought significant infrastructure developments to Pewaukee. In 1855, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road) constructed a line through the area, followed by the Wisconsin Central Railroad in 1885. These railroads traversed the neighborhood of Duplainville, Wisconsin and are currently operated by

Canadian Pacific Kansas City Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, Trade name, doing business as CPKC (known as Canadian Pacific Railway Limited until 2023), is a Canadian railway holding company. Through its primary operating railroad subsidiaries, Canadian Pacific Railw ...

and the

Canadian National Railway The Canadian National Railway Company () is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States. CN is Canada's largest railway, in terms of both revenue a ...

, respectively.

Geography

Pewaukee is located at (43.0614, −88.2495). It is located in the ''Lake Country'' area of Waukesha County. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 13,195 people, 5,410 households, and 3,883 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 5,767 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.3%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.1%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.3% Native American, 2.6% Asian, 0.5% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. There were 5,410 households, of which 28.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.87. The median age in the city was 45.3 years. 21.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23% were from 25 to 44; 34.2% were from 45 to 64; and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.6% male and 51.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 11,783 people, 4,553 households, and 3,496 families residing in the city. The

was 541.3 people per square mile (209.0/km²). There were 4,761 housing units at an average density of 218.7 per square mile (84.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.22%

, 0.35%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

, 0.08% Native American, 1.07% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.44% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Some 1.30% of the population were

or Latino of any race. Approximately 31.5% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.2% were living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. About 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 30.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $75,589, and the median income for a family was $80,163. Males had a median income of $55,810 versus $35,320 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $34,851. About 0.6% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.

Business

Pewaukee is the world headquarters of Harken, Inc., a manufacturer of sailboat and yacht gear sold worldwide, especially in the racing segment. The city is also home to RumChata, where it was founded and still manufactured today.

Education

Made up of four separate schools on one campus that encompass early childhood to the 12th grade, Pewaukee Schools surround a central parking lot ornamented with trees and grass. There are two gymnasiums in the high school, two in Horizon Elementary, and one in each of the other school buildings. The district has one football field with a track surrounding it and a soccer field. Pewaukee Lake Elementary school serves students from early childhood to 2nd grade. Horizon Elementary encompasses grades 3 through 5. Asa Clark Middle School educates the 6th through 8th grades. Pewaukee High School (PHS) is the high school, serving grades 9 through 12. Pewaukee is also home to a sole Roman Catholic grade school: St. Anthony on the Lake. This educational institution serves students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC), part of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS), has a main campus located in Pewaukee.

Religion

The city is home to one of the largest churches in the Milwaukee area, Spring Creek Church. Other churches include Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Fox River Congregational Church, St. Anthony on the Lake Catholic Church, Gethsemane United Methodist Church, Crossroads Church, Galilee Lutheran Church, St. Bartholomew Episcopal Church, Joy Christian Fellowship Church, and Queen of Apostles Catholic Church. Pewaukee has four Dharmic temples: the Hindu Temple of Wisconsin and adjacent Jain Temple of Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Shirdi Sai, and the BAPS Swaminarayan temple.

Pewaukee Area Historical Society

The Clark House Museum, located in the Village of Pewaukee, was originally a stage coach inn on the Watertown Plank Road that ran from Milwaukee to Watertown. The inn was built by Mosely Clark, the son of Pewaukee's first settler, Asa Clark. The Clark House remained in the Clark family until the death of Marietta Clark Larson, great-granddaughter of Asa, in 1984. In 1992 the Pewaukee Area Historical Society purchased the property. The museum displays includes exhibits on Native American settlement (with emphasis on the

Potawatomi The Potawatomi (), also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American tribe of the Great Plains, upper Mississippi River, and western Great Lakes region. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, ...

and Waukesha Beach), a popular amusement park on the shore of Pewaukee Lake. Pictures and artifacts portray a way of life from the early 1900s in the village and city. The exhibit building on the Clark House grounds, opened in 2007, houses larger artifacts, including farm machinery and a mail wagon.

Pewaukee lake

Pewaukee Lake is a staple to the town of Pewaukee. Pewaukee lake is the largest lake in the lake country area. The lake is about 5 miles long and 1 mile wide at its widest point. The lake is known for its sailing races and recreational fishing and boating. The lake was home to the 2023 Muskellunge world championship.

Notable people

* James R. Barnett, Wisconsin legislator * Walter G. Caldwell, Wisconsin legislator * Howard Engle (1919–2009), physician and lead plaintiff in a landmark lawsuit against the

tobacco industry The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies who are engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any ...

* Elihu Enos, Wisconsin educator and legislator * Margaret Farrow, Lieutenant Governor of

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

* Ody J. Fish, Chairman of the

Republican Party of Wisconsin The Republican Party of Wisconsin is a conservative politics, conservative and Right-wing populism, populist political party in Wisconsin and is the Wisconsin affiliate of the Republican Party (United States), United States Republican Party (GOP) ...

* Jack Gohlke, basketball player * Benjamin F. Goss, legislator * Chauncey G. Heath, Wisconsin legislator *

David Koepp David Koepp (; born June 9, 1963) is an American screenwriter and director. He is the fourth most successful screenwriter of all time in terms of U.S. box office receipts with a total gross of over $2.6 billion. Koepp has achieved both critical ...

, filmmaker * Chris McIntosh NFL player * Milan Momcilovic, basketball player for the Iowa State Cyclones * Charles Henry Morgan, U.S. Representative from

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

* Adam Neylon, Wisconsin legislator and business owner * Jessica Powers,

Carmelite The Order of the Brothers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (; abbreviated OCarm), known as the Carmelites or sometimes by synecdoche known simply as Carmel, is a mendicant order in the Catholic Church for both men and women. Histo ...

nun and author * Alvin J. Redford, Wisconsin legislator and sheriff'Wisconsin Blue Book 1956,' Biographical Sketch of Alvin J. Redford, pg. 65 * John C. Schafer, U.S. Representative * Kevin R. Slates, U.S. Navy admiral * John Spytek, General manager of the

Las Vegas Raiders The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC West ...

* William Henry Washburn, Wisconsin legislator * Derek Watt, fullback for the Pittsburgh Steelers * J. J. Watt, defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals * T. J. Watt, linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers

Media

Pewaukee, Wisconsin was referenced on the season 5 premiere of '' House M.D.'', "Dying Changes Everything".

References

External links

*
Around the Corner with John McGivern -- Pewaukee
Video produced by ''

Milwaukee PBS Milwaukee PBS is the collective brand for two PBS member television stations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States: WMVS (channel 10) and WMVT (channel 36). Both stations are owned and operated by the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). ...

'' {{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Waukesha County, Wisconsin Populated places established in 1999 1999 establishments in Wisconsin es:Phillips (Wisconsin)